Juan Martin del Potro continued his dominance over Kevin Anderson, putting the brakes on the South African’s brilliant run of success to claim the Mexican Open title on Saturday night.
Del Potro defeated the hard-serving Anderson 6-4, 6-4 in the final to claim his first title of 2018 and post his seventh-straight career victory over Anderson. The 29-year-old recorded his 21st career title but this is his first ATP 500 title since Basel in 2013 and the earliest he has hoisted a trophy since the 2014 season.
The Argentine won the title by battling through a tough draw that included three top 10 players. He defeated Mischa Zverev, four-time Acapulco champion David Ferrer, no 6 Dominic Thiem and no 5 Alexander Zverev before dispatching world No 8 Anderson.
Del Potro has owned Anderson on the hardcourts ever since their first meeting in 2011 in Delray Beach, Florida that he also won 6-4, 6-4. Since then, they have squared off in Vienna, Valencia, Basel, Washington and Delray again with all the matches taking place on the hard surface.
Del Potro served masterfully on Saturday, blasting 12 aces and winning 78% of his first serve and 64 percent of his second serve points in the one hour, 40 minute match. Del Potro managed to hold serve throughout the match and broke Anderson twice.
Anderson was coming off a title at the New York Open and was on an eight-match winning streak before this.
With inputs from AFP
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